Black caucus cools heels ahead of Obama meeting

In his first meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus in more than two years, President Obama kept the group waiting just a little longer Tuesday morning.

Mr. Obama was scheduled to meet with the CBC at the White House at 10:30 a.m. But he was seen heading into the meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at 11:05 a.m.

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It’s the president’s first get-together with the caucus since May 12, 2011, and his first with Rep. Marcia Fudge, Ohio Democrat, as head of the group. Black lawmakers have been pressing Mr. Obama to do something about black unemployment, which was 13.7 percent in June, compared with the national average of 7.6 percent.

Ms. Fudge also lobbied the president earlier this year to appoint more blacks to his Cabinet. After she raised the issue, Mr. Obama did appoint former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx as secretary of transportation.

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About the Author

Dave Boyer is a White House correspondent for The Washington Times. A native of Allentown, Pa., Boyer worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 2002 to 2011 and also has covered Congress for the Times. He is a graduate of Penn State University. Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.